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User blog:FateAlbane/Jack of All Tropes - Big Iron 7
This will cover all tropes found in the 7th session of Big Iron. They do say 7 is the perfect number. (EDIT: Mostly done.) Session 7 - Metal Walls and Warm Hearths *As per Ligerheart's suggestion. *Or "We finally win!" - from Amethyst's PoV. *Or "We played Dinasty Warriors." - from Ino's PoV. Out of Focus - Hob once more, due to understandable meta reasons. Thankfully, it seems he'll no longer suffer from this and will soon be able to rejoin in full force. *Menacing* Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies - Invoked at some point for reasons, but thankfully averted. Now What? - Invoked as the session starts, instead of where it ends. Justified since Session 6 concluded in a "What now?" ending note. Sleep Deprivation - Ino, who kept the wagon going even though the day was hot out there and he had spent the previous night awake/keeping watch all along. Plot-Powered Stamina - Subverted for the most part: Despite the many adventurers they go through the does tend to get rather tired in the following day if they happen to pull an all-nighter or lose the chance for a good night's asleep. Rule of cool dictated it to be played very much straight this time around until the end of the battle. Sleepy Depressive - Downplayed trope. She's not quite doing it frequently, but Elly is seen sleeping solely because she feels there's nothing more productive to do at present after all the failures the party went through and while they're running away. NO INDOOR VOICE - Lampshaded in the narrative (mainly by Marty) in regards to Magnum's... Let's say "energetic" way of talking when she is angry about something - especially Jill. Marty disregards it as routine at this point , while Elly doesn't wake up, via "her brain being so used to it, it learned to differ Magnum's voice from an enemy alert". Corner of Woe - Poor Amethyst gets this as a result of being scared from Magnum's shouting. You do NOT want to know - When Amethyst asks about who Jill is, Hope invokes this trope after Magnum shouts her "impressions" on her character, but subverts it not long after by telling the little girl she can explain. Once Magnum isn't around, that is, since she doesn't seem to like it when they discuss the figure. Mirthless Laughter - Hope frequently chuckles while talking to Amethyst about Jill in the beggining of the session. However, this laugh isn't for finding anything funny. By Meta confirmation from her player, she was on edge from everything that was happening and trying not to lose her mind or suffer even more from paranoia. Gun Stripping - Of the "they're just cleaning their weapons" variation, for Hope. Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario - Of the non-romantic (or is it, now?) variation, for Hope and Elly. In past sessions they were generally fine around each other despite Elly's sullen dispositions from time to time. This time around however, the latter gets down enough in her mood to trigger a discussion. Said discussion gets an answer from Hope that triggers yet another response from Elly . This leads to another from Hope done in kind. Which further escalates for the session, with Elly almost leaving the party to make her point across (see Tired of Running later). By the end of the session... Well, I'll be leaving the resolution for the other tropes. Tired of Running - One of the main themes in this session. First subverted, as Elly points her problems with the party's present situation (see tropes in the previous blogs) and ends up in the aforementioned discussion with Hope. Ino convinces her to stay (see "We Really do Care" below). Then, it gets played very straight as the main motivation in the ensuing boss fight later down the road. We Really do Care - In true "The Heart" fashion, Ino does this moment for Elly when she is about to leave the party. Seeing how the boy was the one pulling the wagon, he stops it, takes the time to jump down and talk her back into the team. Despite how he was shaking at this point, himself. Elly initially tries to tell him to leave her be as Hope said - reasoning even more points in favor of that choice, but is ultimately convinced to return (after all, that one side to her personality is very much still alive). Affectionate Gesture to the Head - Ino gets this from Elly, as she kindly pats his head while the above is happening. Wham Line - A combination of Ino speaking for the first time ever since the series started (by sending Elly a mana based message). And, at the same time, handing her the knife he had been carving as he asks that she puts the friend's name on the blade. Thus, it's at the same time asking her to do something for a friend, and asking her to stay. Greater need than Mine - Elly does this once more, as she tells Ino to get his sleep since he was indeed way more tired than her. Poor Communication Kills - And. How. It. Does. This trope was so true for the party by now that its effect sometimes reached past the group and all the way into meta (for some members like, say, Elly). Before you know it, certain actions end up being seen in an entirely different light from their actual intent via a. Lack of tone to be heard (which leads to an otherwise playful quote somehow sounding malevolent) and b. More character layers and depth at play than one may think at first if quotes are only looked at on a surface level, leading to this trope or the dreaded case of "Draco in Leather Pants/Ron the Death Eater". Now, in fairness for the party: Every character who did try to communicate their feelings or bring the party together either a. Died. or b. Got broken (possibly beyond repair). Lampshades and traumas of the past notwithstanding, it's more Jill's persecution than anything that led to them never getting along all that well. Black Comedy - Elly's "jokes" generally consist of playing around the idea of death and dying thingies. Even when she returns to the party, she plays around telling Ino that "she'll find herself a place to die where the others wouldn't see". Lampshaded by the narrative that it's not quite a healthy sense of humor. But let's not speak of "certain death". Friendship Trinket - What Ino has been carving all along turns out to be this: A knife to be given to Magnum, in memory of Scarlet and the friendship they shared. Hallucinations - Hope starts having some of these as a result of being so on edge with all the events the party has been enduring and her paranoia. After her discussion with Elly she almost immediately sees "something" in the distance and fears that the "shadow people" are back. Curse cut Short - Hope changes her quote one word short of calling one of the hallucinations she was having a "son of you know what". Citadel City - One of these is where most of the session takes place, as the party arrives there at some point after the sun sets. It's complete with immense walls (flowing with Mana) surrounding it, said walls being capable of restoring themselves. Exact Words - Elly employs this trope when Amethyst and Hope question her on the whole "meet certain death" deal. Hilarious in Hindsight - The party leaving the wagon behind, reasoning in meta that since Jill wants to chase them (and even said they would need the transport if they were to play her game) she "would just obliterate anyone who tried to steal or bust it in their absence". Old Soldier - The old man with a saber who tells the party of the unsavory guests that the city has been expecting still has enough fight in him to join the battle against the army of Rogue Spirits that was attacking. According to WoG, he fought the enemy hordes from his advantageous position in the tower. The Tower - Played straight physically and metaphorically. The city's tower is one of the very first things the party takes notice of once they arrive. The old man in the tower warns them of something unpleasant coming their way making for the sign of an ill omen and yet the higher learning and defensive aspect to it is also played straight for the party and the ones defending the city from the upcoming siege. The Snack is more Interesting - Sort of. Instead of investigating or trying to figure out what the whole "unsavory guests" thing is really about, most of the party members (Hope, Magnum, Ino and Amethyst) decide to go get something to eat. Judging by Magnum's belly, they really were hungry. Big Eater - Invoked/Payed for laughs in meta, as it seems Amethyst managed to finish all of the food Ahuatzi gave her over the course of session 6 or so. Justified, though, since it had been weeks since the little girl had a decent meal. Too hungry to be Polite - Other than the Big Eater trait above, Amethyst is seen pretty much wolfing down her food while the party is at the restaurant. It's once again justified in that she spent her time in the streets with nowhere to sleep in and needed to steal just to survive. Downplayed, though: She doesn't seem to bother the party at all, all tropes considered. Armor-Piercing Question - Of the "innocently asked by a child" variant, courtesy of Amethyst. Inadvertent Entrance Cue - Lampshaded by Hope when Elly returns to the scene and enters the restaurant right as the mood of the conversation goes down for everyone. Complete with a "Death Glare" for Elly and a "Not so Different" aside comment as answer (more as a snide remark than Elly actually thinking they were truly similar). Most Definitely not Accompanying Us - A trope discussed by Elly when she tells Amethyst of the dangers with Rogue spirits and wonders if the party (herself included) really did the right choice in bringing her along. Amethyst replies that she still likes it better this way than being in the streets - "I at least get food." Million Mook March/The Siege - The boss fought this time around was a huge army, with countless upon countless Rogue Spirits marching towards the city. Initially, the party considers their means of running away. As they do, however, Marty is seen taking a stand to serve as a bastion at the city's gate alongside 6 other fighters. Once the attempt to take him out of this seemingly suicidal situation fails, the team decides that indeed, they are just as tired of running and that it's about time to turn back and face not just the army - but the situation of their lives as a whole. For if they were to die in the attempt, it would still be fighting for/doing something out of their own will as opposed to Jill's. Shout-Out - To Lord of the Rings, Castlevania, Kingdom Hearts, Boku no Hero Academia, Yu Yu Hakusho, Ghosts 'N Goblins and a somewhat stealth one to TFS's DBZ Abridged. The Atoner - Marty invokes this trope as he does the aforementioned "You shall not pass" moment, asking of the party that they allow him to "do something right" for what he has caused, and for the present situation. Having a Blast - The batte starts with Marty launching a powerful attack amidst the legions of mooks that, once unleashed, causes a mile-wide blast, complete with shockwaves for maximum mook mortality. Dramatic Thunder - This ends up becoming a part of the background to the great battle, as Elly uses her powers to unleash lightning from the skies against the enemy forces. Give me Liberty or Give me Death! - Those who stay behind in the frontlines to do battle are motivated by this, and to win back their freedom or, if nothing else, to die knowing at the very end that in the face of certain death is were they found the freedom of making their own choices or what felt right. Blinded by the Light - Part of Hope's method of fighting while in said frontlines is to use her light magic to shoot concentrated light beams into her opponent's eyes, causing this. Fights like a Normal - Ino decides to go this route to do battle, jumping into the middle of the many enemy forces and unleashing physical moves while also wielding his father's knife and, later still, dual wielding it along with the weapon that once belonged to Ahuatzi. I ain't got time to Bleed - Up to Eleven for Marty, who keeps taking one major injury after another to the point where he becomes, to say the least, less than a beautiful sight. And he keeps going that way through more and more of the battle. Attack! Attack! Attack! - The party as a whole does this to a greater or lesser extent, but Marty ends up being an extreme case of it in that, unlike the other 6 fighting alongside him, he doesn't stop to ever heal at all (even as the aforementioned trope happens). The reasoning behind it is that at this point, he saw the battle as more important than his life. More Expendable than You - Elly invokes this trope as she sets off to cover for Marty and keep him in the fight for the better of the team, before the other party members may need to do so. As she does so Not so Stoic - Elly lampshades this to herself as she takes the position to help out in keeping Marty alive for the team. Mirroring her speech in session 6 to some extent, she reasons how she "talks a big game and does all kinds of things", but by the end of the day she still turns back and does this. Stoic Woobie - As the trope itself states, after all the complications the plot has heaped on her, Elly ends up being this. She doesn't believe it herself and fully rationalizes her actions but, despite her cynicism and lack of caring for the most part... The narrative lampshades that when the situation is at its most grim, her actions do betray her own thoughts and spoken words - putting herself in harm's way for the others. Said actions end up taking the team as a whole into account to an extent where even Elly is not quite sure at times if she's Not in this for Your Revolution, or if there's genuine care there (which leads to what may be seen as OOC is serious business when it's really Hidden Depths). As her words upon falling asleep indicate, most of her worldviews remain unchanged - they just don't stop her from recognizing that the party's own way of living may be best for them all the same and that the idealism she does not quite believe in brought her back, and saved her life - something she is definitely grateful for. Big Damn Heroes - Despite all they went through, Hope is the one who comes in to save Elly when she is finally at death's door, having taken several blows for Marty. Not afraid to Die - Marty through the whole extent of this battle. Technically, the party and the other six fighting alongside him, too, just for considering entering this battle in the first place. But this behaviour is mostly seen in Marty. More Dakka - Magnum becomes the embodiment of Scarlet Devil----I mean, the embodiment of this trope through pretty much the whole confrontation, firing off laser death and bullets non-stop to annihilate as many mooks as possible. As the girl herself best puts it... Heroic Sacrifice - Each for their own reasons, Marty and Elly come very close to pulling this. Elly subverts it for a while for Marty, then Hope (and Marty himself) subvert it for Elly. At the end, the remaining party members work together to subvert it for Marty once more. Gosh dang it to heck - "Marty, Godzilla damn it, for farm's sake". Knockback Slide - What happens to Hope as a result of Marty pushing Elly out of the battle when she reached critical condition. Hope manages to get a hold of herself and keeps being pushed away by the force but digs her heels into the dirt and manages to stay close. By comparison, others like Ino and Amethyst are blown away in the aftermath of the attack. Not too Dead to Save the Day - Invoked by Elly when, now away from the battlefield and at the verge of death, she still finds enough energy to collaborate with the team in the final stretch of the battle. Light the Way - Both Hope and Magnum incorporate this trope as part of some of their skills and fighting style. However, there is still a clear contrast: Whereas Hope's techniques mostly consist of blinding others and shining light through the darkness, Magnum's are usually about disintegrating the enemies with energy blasts. It kind of reflects their character, you know? I can Still Fight! - Several characters through this ordeal. Of note is that Magnum, Hope, Amethyst and Ino were showing massive signs of being tired, heavy breathing, sweating from the effort, trying not to panic and so on... Yet kept pushing on non-stop and attacking to the very last of the foes in the frontlines. I'd mention Marty here again, but his situation is exemplified in other tropes. What measure is a Non-Human? - Of the "Undead" variation. Amethyst reasons that killing the Rogue Spirit mooks should be alright since those are not human anymore (and sort of dead already, when you think about it). Kill it With Ice - Elly at the very ends switches from raining lightning from the heavens to unleashing ice upon her foes. "The forms like crystal are released and spread and shatter what crosses their path with the uncaring cold of death." Mutual Kill - The very last enemy in the Million Mook March goes down pulling this on their fight against Marty. Its final attack costs a deep wound in Marty's chest, while he stabs them in turn, putting an end to the battle as their soul is destroyed. Luckily for Marty, the party subverts it by healing him as his soul is still attached. Super Speedster - Amethyst's method of fighting the army consists of running amidst the various foes at blinding speeds and taking them down literally one after another, non stop. Played for laughs occasionally and once the battle is over, in that Amethyst's maaaaybe going a bit too fast so she ends up more tripping than stopping. Post Victory Collapse - Most party members, sand Amethyst (who mostly tripped over her own speed) and Hope who while breathing heavily was still ecstatic about the victory and reached for one party member after another, giving them all a warm hug just like in session 5. As for the others... Marty falls in battle, Magnum falls down with exhaustion, Ino drops his knives and after the hug he too falls to the ground (while "looking like Deku after his fight with Muscular".) and Elly stays awake only long enough to see Hope reaching her for a hug, falling asleep in her arms. Mortal Wound Reveal - It's not until Magnum pokes Marty that the party realizes that he too, has lost his life (though not his soul) in the battle. Died standing Up - Once the battle is over, Marty ends up like this - even in death, his body stood, uniyelding to the very end. A testament to his iron will. To quote the narrative: Heartwarming Moments - The whole sequence with Hope and Elly at the end of the session. First, Elly can barely know it's her but, getting a hug anyways, she acknowledges right before falling asleep that Hope was the winner of their discussion before and her own idealism is what saved her (though she does say she shouldn't expect her to agree once she woke up). Then, Hope carries the sleeping Elly with all the care in the world as she returns to the party. Hope also stays mostly quiet, making sure Elly's sleep stays peaceful and noting that she's actually nice when sleeping (even as the latter clings to her like she's her pillow). Extra points because what Hope did for Elly at this point is the exact same thing the person in her past did for her - risking her life to save Elly before the worst would come to pass, then staying close and taking her to safety once the risk was over, even after she collapsed. The War has Just Begun - Magnum, Ino and Jill invoke this trope. First, Jill leaves the party a message in blood, reminding them of how she'll be willing to watch their efforts. Then Hope tells Magnum that they have won, to which Magnum answers that the battle is won, not the war... But gets calmed down once more and agrees that it should be one victory at a time, smiling. Ino looks forward to winning the War just as they proved able to win this battle. Moment of Awesome - After having to deal with so much of a losing streak, with the loss of feelings, lives/companions and even their freedom... The party finally manages to turn back and confront the most impossible of odds thus far (well, as long as you ignore Jill but that one is a special case), not only managing to win against a whole army but also not suffering any long term loss or party member in doing so. By the end of it all, they are satisfied enough that even Jill's message does not shake their hearts or bother their minds that much, for once. Also take a look at this session as a whole, and you'll barely see any loser tropes for them. Indeed, a crowning moment of awesome! Category:Blog posts